Tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa heightened on Tuesday after Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the government of India of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani extremist who was a Canadian national in June this year.
Nijjar was wanted in India in multiple cases, including an attempt to kill a Hindu priest in Punjab state. Also, India's top terror investigating outfit, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had announced an INR one million (about $12,000) bounty on his head.
The Canadian leader's allegations were subsequently described as "absurd and motivated" by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Sikhs protestors for the independence of Khalistan scuffle with police in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto, Canada, on July 8, 2023.
© GEOFF ROBINS
However, this isn't the first time Trudeau has made headlines in India for all the wrong reasons. Here's a look back at some of his past missteps.
Bitterness During G20 Summit in New Delhi
Frostiness in India-Canada relations was evident during this month's G20 summit in Delhi after Trudeau did not attend a dinner hosted by the Indian leadership for the powerful economic bloc's heads.
The Indian prime minister also reprimanded Trudeau over his government's soft approach toward Khalistani separatists in Canada.
In what can be described as rubbing salt in the wounds of Trudeau, his plane experienced a technical snag, leaving him stranded in India for two more days.
Interestingly, during his extended stay in Delhi, Indian officials largely ignored him, and opposition parties back home mocked him for the "insult" in the South Asian nation.
Scandalous India Trip
Trudeau's 2018 trip to India turned out to be heavily scandalous for multiple reasons.
First among them was his dinner invitation to a Khalistani activist, Jaspal Atwal, who previously spent time in jail for a murder attempt on a Punjab minister during a visit to Canada.
In addition, the Canadian prime minister and his then-wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, faced a barrage of social media trolls for wearing Indian dresses while attending official functions almost every single time.
He was also slammed by his country's press for devoting more time to leisurely activities such as visiting the Taj Mahal in Agra than holding meetings with Indian officials.
Trudeau Needles India on Farmers' Protests
Trudeau was among the few foreign leaders who supported the protesting farmers demonstrating on the borders of Delhi against three farm laws introduced by the Indian government in 2020.
"Canada will always be there to defend the right to peaceful protest. We believe in the importance of dialogue and that's why we've reached out through multiple means directly to the Indian authorities to highlight our concerns", he said at the time.
This was once again interpreted as needling India on an issue New Delhi described as its own "internal matter".